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(NO Modem J. M. PERKINS.

I RAILROAD SWITGH. y No. 534,967. Patented Feb." 26, 1895.

WITNESSES: S

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m: uonms PETERS o0. PNOTO-LITHO" (wsmuswn, n cy UNITED STATES PATENT Onnrcn.

JOHN M. PERKINS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE H. K. WHITE, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 534,967, dated February 26, 1 895.

A plication filed November 20, 1894. Serial No. 529,404- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN M. PERKINS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Im- 5 proved Railroad-Switch, of which the followlng is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in railroad switches, audit has for its object to provide a means whereby the switch points IO will be under perfect control from a moving train, and whereby the actuating devices, acting directly upon the switch point, will be exceedingly simple, durable and economic in their construction.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyingzo drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of refer Y ence indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan View of the improved mechanism for actuating the switch point, the said mechanism being located at the side of the track. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1,located between the rails of the track and operating a switch point.

In carrying out the invention one of the main railsAhas pivoted adjacent to it in the usual manner a shifting point or switch point B, which point is located at the end of a switch rail 0, as is customary. When the actuating mechanism for this switch point is located at or near one side rail of the track an outer guard or rail D, is provided for the said mechanism, together with an inner guard E, the

inner guard being between the rails of the track and the outer guard outside of the side rail of which the switch point forms a part.

The switch point is likewise provided with the usual guard F.

At or near that portion of the main rail A adjacent to which the free end of the switch point has movement, an enlargement or block 10 is formed upon the inner face of the main rail; and the inner edge of this block or enlargement is preferably beveled, as is best shown in Fig. 1, and a corresponding block 11 is formed opposite the said block 10, its outer edge being likewise beveled; and the outer block 11 is provided with an extension 11 at its contracted end, which is parallel with the main rail A, a space being made to intervene the outer block 11 and the main 6o rail, the space being widened where the switch point has play between the blocks. The blocks 10 and 11 therefore constitute inner or main guards for the shifting point, and the rails D and E form outer or'auxiliary guards.

In the larger end of each block a somewhat crescent shaped lever is pivoted, the inner lever being designated as 13 and the outer lever as 14. These levers extend through suitable openings to an engagement with opposite sides of the switch point B, as is like wise best shown in Fig. 1, and the inner end of the lever 13 adjacent to the guard rail E and the outer end of the lever 14: is adjacent to the guard rail D.

In the operation of this form of the device any trip which is capable of being pressed downward from a moving train, for example when the train is on the main track and is to be passed to a siding, will be lowered in the space between the outer guard rail D and the outer block 11, whereupon this pendent device Will engage with the outer point of the outer lever 14 and force the inner point of that lever against the switch point, carrying the point inward to meet the main rail, the

inner lever 13 moving freely; and when the main rail is to be traversed and the switch is turned for the siding, the pendent device from the train is lowered until it strikes the outer point or end of the inner lever 13, thereby shifting the switch point B in an outwardly direction or against the outer block 11, which will afford clearance between the main rail 5 and point B for the travel of the flanges of the car wheels that are to move over the switch and keep to the main track.

In Fig.4 I have illustrated the shifting device as located between the rails of the track ICO near the center. In this event a shifting point or tongue 15 is pivoted upon a suitable plate between main guards or blocks 16 and 17, corresponding to the blocks and 11 shown in Fig. 1. The tongue is tapering, as are likewise the outer edges of the blocks 16 and 17, but the taper of the tongue is in the reverse direction to that of the block, and

the pointed or free end of the tongue has movement between extensions 16 and 17 from the said blocks, constituting guards for the tongue; and in the enlarged end of each block 16 and 17 a substantially triangular lever is pivoted, one being designated as 18 and the other as 19, but these levers may be shaped the same as thelevers 13 and 14 shown in Fig. 1.

Outside of each block 16 and 17 a guard rail 20, is located, corresponding to the auX- iliary guards D and E shown in Fig. 1, the inner faces of the guard rails being preferably inclined in opposite directions from a point near their centers. Therefore the outer edges of the levers 18 and 19, in one position will be parallel with What maybe termed the rear inner edge surface of a guide rail, as shown in Fig. 4, while at all times the forward inner edges of the said guide rails will be at an angle to the outer edges of the guard blocks 16 and 17.

The free end of the tongue 15 is connected by a link 21 with the free end of the switch point B, whereby when the tongue is moved the switch point is moved likewise. Theoperation of this form of the device is similar to that described in connection with the construction shown in Fig. 1.

The object of this switch is to provide a device that will be inexpensive, and will have the merits of strength, simplicity and absolute practicability. It may be operated by any suitable device, and be under the perfect control of grip or motorman.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination, with a shifting point, guards located at each side of the free end of the shifting point, the outer edges of the guards being inclined from the said point, auxiliary guards located outside of the main guards, and double-pointed levers pivoted upon the main guards the inner points of the levers being adapted for engagement with the shifting point at opposite sides, and the outer points of the levers being adapted substantially for engagement with the auxiliary or outer gnards,.as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a switch operating-mechanism, the combination, with the tongue, of guard blocks located one at each side of the tongue, having outer inclined side edges, auxiliary guards located outside of the guard blocks, doublepointed levers pivoted in the said guard blocks, their inner points engaging with opposite sides of the tongue and their outer points being adapted substantially for engagement with the outeror auxiliary guards, and a connection, substantiallyas described, between the free ends of the tongue and the free-end of the switch point to be operated, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN M. PERKINS Witnesses:

J. FRED. AOKER, F. W. HANAFORD. 

